| Libya lies between Egypt to the east Sudan to the | | | | judiciary is controlled by the state, and there is no |
| southeast Chad and Niger to the south and Algeria | | | | right to a fair public trial. Libyans do not have the |
| and Tunisia to the west. It is a country in North | | | | right to change their government. Freedom of |
| Africa bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the north. | | | | speech, press, assembly, association, and religion are |
| The three traditional parts of the country are | | | | restricted. Independent human rights organizations are |
| Tripolitania, the Fezzan and Cyrenaica. With an area | | | | prohibited. Ethnic and tribal minorities suffer |
| of almost 1.8 million square kilometres most of the | | | | discrimination, and the state continues to restrict the |
| area is desert. Libya is the fourth largest country in | | | | labour rights of foreign workers |
| Africa by area and in the 17th largest in the world. | | | | Present day Libyans descend almost entirely from |
| The capital, Tripoli, is home to 1.7 million of Libyas 5.7 | | | | the Arabian incursion of the 11th century AD, with a |
| million people. | | | | few black Africans from the south and indigenous |
| The name Libya is an indigenous one, which refers to | | | | Berbers in the west. Although traditionally the rural |
| one of the tribes of Berber peoples living west of | | | | people have been nomadic shepherds, since the |
| the Nile. In Greek the tribesmen were called Libyans | | | | discovery of oil there has been a drift into the towns. |
| and their country became Libya, although in ancient | | | | Once one of Italys few colonies, Libya were |
| Greece the term had a broader meaning, | | | | occupied by the British and French during WWII. |
| encompassing all of North Africa west of Egypt and | | | | Emerging from years of international isolation, Libyas |
| sometimes referring to the entire continent of Africa. | | | | beauty and diversity are still relatively unknown and, |
| Libya has one of the highest Gross Domestic | | | | as a result, the country remains largely unspoilt by |
| Products per person in Africa, largely because of its | | | | tourism. Visitors will enjoy exploring the Italian streets |
| large petroleum reserves. | | | | and squares of Tripoli and will be amazed by the |
| According to the U.S. Department of States annual | | | | spectacular remains of the Roman cities of Leptis |
| human rights report for 2004, Libyas authoritarian | | | | Magna and Sabratha, testaments to ancient |
| regime continued to have a poor record in the area | | | | civilisations. |
| of human rights. Some of the numerous and serious | | | | Tourists will also have plenty of opportunity to travel |
| abuses on the part of the government include poor | | | | through the vast Saharan desert and camp amongst |
| prison conditions, arbitrary arrest and detention, | | | | great sand seas, while appreciating Berber hospitality |
| prisoners held incommunicado, and political prisoners | | | | in western Libya. |
| held for many years without charge or trial. The | | | | |